Price index

Index figures

The index tables provided on the website of FPS Economy, SMEs, Self-employed and Energy (only available in French and Dutch) contain full statistics about the:

These tables are updated monthly. The official index figure is the figure published in the Belgian Official Gazette for the month in question.

The consumer price index tracks the changing price of a ‘basket’ of goods and services deemed to be representative of household expenditure. The figure is determined monthly based on the value of the basket. The change in the index figures reflects the change in cost of living for households.

The consumer price index, which factors in the changing price of all goods and services, is used as the basis for another index, called the health index. This figure does not take account of the price of tobacco products, alcoholic drinks, petrol and diesel.

The health index is mainly used for the indexation of rents (French-Dutch) for both residential and business properties.

The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) is a measure enabling an accurate comparison of inflation rates in European Union Member States.
Based on the harmonised index figures for the Member States, Eurostat calculates an HICP for the Eurozone (and for the whole European Union).

More information about consumer prices and indices (French-Dutch) can be found on the website of FPS Economy, SMEs, Self-employed and Energy, in the form of tables and overviews.

Inflation

Inflation is the reduction in the value of money as a result of the so-called “price/wage spiral” i.e.  the continual increase in wages and prices caused by each pushing the other up.
Inflation is expressed in percent and is measured using the consumer price index (French-Dutch).

Inflation of 2 or 3% a year is called normal or low inflation. If wages rise at the same rate as inflation, purchasing power remains unchanged. If they do not, purchasing power falls or rises accordingly.
Maintaining low inflation is a major goal of the body that manages the issuing of money and is consequently responsible for monetary policy. In Europe, that body is the European Central Bank (ECB).

An overview of annual inflation in Belgium (French-Dutch) can be found on the website of FPS Economy, SMEs, Self-employed and Energy.